Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Revolution continues on Revolución

Curio shops in peril as investment changes face of Tijuana's main drag

Cine Tonalá on opening night, maybe reminiscent of your grandparents' — but not your parents' — Tijuana scene
Cine Tonalá on opening night, maybe reminiscent of your grandparents' — but not your parents' — Tijuana scene

Avenida Revolución is seeing a lot of changes. The most emblematic street in downtown Tijuana, known as La Revu, has had something different opening up almost each week this year. Mexican curio shops lose ground as restaurants, bars, cafés, hotels, and other larger businesses move in to previously semi-abandoned spaces.

In late September, a new residential building by Bustamante Realty Group was unveiled. The nine-story structure features all the modern amenities, exposed brick and concrete, and large balconies. Bustamante Group is also demolishing a building on 4th Street known as “Importaciones Sara” to build a similar high-end exposed brick building.

Bus station project on 2nd

Near the beginning of La Revu, the local government has been building a terminal that expands two blocks for future rapid-transit bus service. Two other bus platforms are being placed: one between 2nd and 3rd streets and the other between 7th and 8th.

Sponsored
Sponsored

On October 15th, three new businesses between 6th and 7th had their grand openings: Cine Tonalá, Lúdica and Teorema Tasting Room, and Las Micheladas.

Reminiscent of the past, Las Micheladas' business plan seems to be one of luring tourists with cheap beer and loud music. Other similar bars have recently opened on Revolución: Drinks Mixology Bar and Los Tarros. With beers selling for less than a dollar, the establishments are hard to resist for many locals and tourists.

Lúdica and Teorema Tasting Room is a co-venture between two breweries. Lúdica already has a tap room in Plaza Fiesta, but this is a first for Teorema, which has been brewing beer on Revolución for more than a couple of years. This is the first brewery to open on La Revu, besides Mécanica Cervecera, which only opens for private tours.

“It is a major gamble to [invest] anything and anywhere in Mexico.... It is a risky bet,” says Juan Pablo Bastarrachea, one of the three founders of Cine Tonalá. “La Revolución is a street with a number of different elements, both sound and visual — it is insanity. It’s like when you know you are going to have a neighbor, you just don’t know who it’s going to be.”

Cine Tonalá is situated south of the old Mexicoach bus station, which was demolished last year to make way for a larger as-yet-unknown investment. This is Tonalá’s third location; their first opened in Mexico City five years ago, the other opened a couple of years ago in Bogotá, Colombia.

Framed portraits of Mexican and American presidents on the walls of Cine Tonalá

Cine Tonalá's Tijuana location occupies what used to be an abandoned warehouse. Old brick walls and upcoming movie posters decorate the first floor. Mounted up high by the mid-section of the building, a famous picture by Cristian Franco of people playing volleyball on the border wall; to its side, framed portraits of Mexican and American presidents.

“La Revolución has always been that, — there’s [art] galleries next to teibols [strip clubs],” says Adriana Trujillo, one of the creative directors of Cine Tonalá. “Cine Tonalá is not only a movie theater, it’s a cultural center, focused on scenic and gastronomic arts.”

The three-story building features two cinema rooms, one inside and one outside. The rooftop restaurant and bar offers south views of La Revu. Besides showcasing documentaries, independent, and local films, the locale plans to host concerts, theater, stand-up comedy, and more.

As of now, Cine Tonalá does not have a neighbor to their north, just the ghost of an emblematic bus station that had a stained-glass dome surrounded by a never-ending nightlife.

The latest copy of the Reader

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Mary Catherine Swanson wants every San Diego student going to college

Where busing from Southeast San Diego to University City has led
Next Article

Hike off those holiday calories, Poinsettias are peaking

Winter Solstice is here and what is winter?
Cine Tonalá on opening night, maybe reminiscent of your grandparents' — but not your parents' — Tijuana scene
Cine Tonalá on opening night, maybe reminiscent of your grandparents' — but not your parents' — Tijuana scene

Avenida Revolución is seeing a lot of changes. The most emblematic street in downtown Tijuana, known as La Revu, has had something different opening up almost each week this year. Mexican curio shops lose ground as restaurants, bars, cafés, hotels, and other larger businesses move in to previously semi-abandoned spaces.

In late September, a new residential building by Bustamante Realty Group was unveiled. The nine-story structure features all the modern amenities, exposed brick and concrete, and large balconies. Bustamante Group is also demolishing a building on 4th Street known as “Importaciones Sara” to build a similar high-end exposed brick building.

Bus station project on 2nd

Near the beginning of La Revu, the local government has been building a terminal that expands two blocks for future rapid-transit bus service. Two other bus platforms are being placed: one between 2nd and 3rd streets and the other between 7th and 8th.

Sponsored
Sponsored

On October 15th, three new businesses between 6th and 7th had their grand openings: Cine Tonalá, Lúdica and Teorema Tasting Room, and Las Micheladas.

Reminiscent of the past, Las Micheladas' business plan seems to be one of luring tourists with cheap beer and loud music. Other similar bars have recently opened on Revolución: Drinks Mixology Bar and Los Tarros. With beers selling for less than a dollar, the establishments are hard to resist for many locals and tourists.

Lúdica and Teorema Tasting Room is a co-venture between two breweries. Lúdica already has a tap room in Plaza Fiesta, but this is a first for Teorema, which has been brewing beer on Revolución for more than a couple of years. This is the first brewery to open on La Revu, besides Mécanica Cervecera, which only opens for private tours.

“It is a major gamble to [invest] anything and anywhere in Mexico.... It is a risky bet,” says Juan Pablo Bastarrachea, one of the three founders of Cine Tonalá. “La Revolución is a street with a number of different elements, both sound and visual — it is insanity. It’s like when you know you are going to have a neighbor, you just don’t know who it’s going to be.”

Cine Tonalá is situated south of the old Mexicoach bus station, which was demolished last year to make way for a larger as-yet-unknown investment. This is Tonalá’s third location; their first opened in Mexico City five years ago, the other opened a couple of years ago in Bogotá, Colombia.

Framed portraits of Mexican and American presidents on the walls of Cine Tonalá

Cine Tonalá's Tijuana location occupies what used to be an abandoned warehouse. Old brick walls and upcoming movie posters decorate the first floor. Mounted up high by the mid-section of the building, a famous picture by Cristian Franco of people playing volleyball on the border wall; to its side, framed portraits of Mexican and American presidents.

“La Revolución has always been that, — there’s [art] galleries next to teibols [strip clubs],” says Adriana Trujillo, one of the creative directors of Cine Tonalá. “Cine Tonalá is not only a movie theater, it’s a cultural center, focused on scenic and gastronomic arts.”

The three-story building features two cinema rooms, one inside and one outside. The rooftop restaurant and bar offers south views of La Revu. Besides showcasing documentaries, independent, and local films, the locale plans to host concerts, theater, stand-up comedy, and more.

As of now, Cine Tonalá does not have a neighbor to their north, just the ghost of an emblematic bus station that had a stained-glass dome surrounded by a never-ending nightlife.

Comments
Sponsored

The latest copy of the Reader

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

The Art Of Dr. Seuss, Boarded: A New Pirate Adventure, Wild Horses Festival

Events December 26-December 30, 2024
Next Article

Memories of bonfires amid the pits off Palm

Before it was Ocean View Hills, it was party central
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader